Fable II: Retold Chapter 18
The Spire Day one: The boat ride was long but as the black tower in the distances got bigger the power I could sense in it was stronger than I thought it would be as we landed in the docks and I made small talk with a man. "Just look at this place we done well with casting in the lot for Lucien" he said with a foreign accent that I could not identify. "Yeah it's something" I said. "Well whatever Lucien planning, me and Lilly will be set for life" he said as the guards behind us yelled. "Get moving!" he yelled as we moved. "You're married?" I asked. "Yep I've been with my Lil for thirteen years and been faithful the whole time" he said. "Is she pretty?" I asked. "If you could see her you could understand why, names Bob by the way" he said. I knew I couldn't use my real name here with Lucien around so I had to come up with a different name. "I'm Jake" I said thinking of the first name at the top of my head as I could hear a feel a vibration under my feet. "What is that sound I can not only hear it but I can feel it, this places feels wrong" Bob said as I can see a man standing just ahead of us as the man that haunted my nightmares for ten years stood before me and looked completely different. His hair was now pure white and his face full of many wrinkles as he stood powerfully before us as I tried to restrain myself from using a Will spell on him. "The world outside these marvels walls is a corrupt rotting husk, reason is absent, instead of order there's only chaos, chaos dose not punish evil or rewards righteousness, chaos cuts down innocent lives short and we except this as fate, I beg to differ, you stand in the center of a great instrument of change with it I will remake this world and my creation shall be unrecognizable in its perfection, but my will alone in not sufficient for such a momentous task, it is only through your toil threw your labors threw your convections that Albion will be transformed, do not fear the sounds you hear or the throbbing beneath your feet these sensations will soon be familiar as your own heartbeat, and so along as your heart continues to beat, all that I require is obedience, now sleep" Lucien said as a white light came down and I fell into a sleep. Week 1 When I awoke I was asleep in the sleeping barracks on a matt when a spire guard came in as I awoke quickly and got to my feet. "Morning maggot, welcome to the Spire hope you like it because you're never leaving" he said. That's what you think I thought. "Right now you're in the barracks, you'll eat and sleep here and the rest of the time you will work where ever the Commandant assigns you, your job is to keep the scum building this place in line and otherwise doing whatever the Commandant tells you without question when you receive an order you will obey it immediately, which brings me to that new piece of jewelry you got" he said as I saw the collar on my neck. "The collar is a part of Lord Lucien obedient program, the Commandant will 'explain' it to you" he said doing the air quotes thing with his hands on explain. "Main thing is do as your told, and don't try taking the collar off because you can't and the penalty for even trying is death and not the quick and painless kind either" he said oh goodie something to look forward. "Now report to the Commandant" he said as I made my way out of the barracks and went along the path till I reach the prisoner area where I saw Bob who wore what I wore and had his head shaved. "Hey it's you, we arrived together remember?" he asked. "Yeah I remember you, you're Bob" I said. "How are you settling in?" he asked. "It ok" I said as we walked past the rows of cages and starving slaves. "Can you believe they put me on guard duty and on the first day too, I must have really impressed someone" he said. "Lucky you" I said. "If only Lil could see me now, she always liked a bloke in uniform, but I don't think she'll like the mask anymore then I do it looks really intimidating and I can hardly breathe in that thing " he said as we passed as cage with a beaten but standing shirtless Garth. I then felt Garth invade my mind as we had a silent conversation. "I don't know how you got here but I know what you are, it doesn't matter your power will do you know good as long as you wear that collar be patient" he said as I heard Bob talking. "But he doesn't give me any trouble, do you?" he said directly at Garth who didn't respond "keeps nice and quiet, anyway I can't wait to write to Lil and tell her all about it, maybe I'll do that tomorrow" he said. "Well I need to go I'll see you later Bob" I said making my way a large door with a powerful presence behind it as I entered it to see he very man who kidnaped Garth who back was turned to me and held a sword in his hand. "I am the Commandant, you are recruit 273, that number is not random, it was assigned to you because I have broken 272 recruits before you, you are nothing more than the next link in the chain, you have been brought here to oversee the reconstruction of the Tattered Spire, and to serve Lucien as he see fits, my job is to ensure the obedience of guards like you, you will do everything I say without question, failure to obey will cause the device around your neck to activate, this is not a pleasant experience you will lose your will power and your memories and your experiences will be drained away, this will continue until you submit perhaps you believe that you will resist, some do at first a misguide sense of personal honor, you must decide is your honor really that important to you" he said walking to the window and looked to me. "Now come here, obey me" he said as I knew I had to obey him for now and did as told as I approached him. "Good now look over there" he said as I looked out the window to see a ship bring in new recruits. "The Spire has taken ten years to complete so far and will take many more till it's complete this project ambitions goes beyond your wildest imaginations, yet our progress is not a miracle, it is a product of obedience let us see how well you have learned, I'm going to hit you and you are going to thank me, because I tell you to" he said hitting me painfully at my side leaving a gash in my arm as I grunted in pain. "Now thank me, obey!" he yelled. "Thank you sir" I said threw gritted teeth as he hit me again creating another gash. "Thank me for your pain, obey!" He said as it got harder to control myself. "Thank you for my pain!" I said a little louder. He then hit me one more time "now once more thank me obey! He said. "Thank you sir!" I said. "Excellent, now beg, beg me to show mercy, you do understand the concept don't you" he said. "Please show me mercy sir" I said as I wished I had my sword and Will powers right now. "You learn quickly, that will be all" the Commandant said as I left the chambers and went to dress my three wounds. Week 38 Over the weeks I would look out to the tower where I first arrived as I wait for Bob so we could have small conversation. I had experience the collar painful effects and knew very well how it worked but everything that I was told would be taken wasn't, so I played along so no one would suspect a thing and today Bob had a rough morning. "The Commandant made me torture a new recruit this morning, he overheard the poor bastard say he missed his family, I'm glad I don't have a family" he said as his eyes went slightly wide with realization. "What is it Bob?" I asked. "I just had a strange...maybe it's the collar it's hard to think with these things on, you know I hardly notice it anymore it is familiar as my own heartbeat" he said starting to sound like a brainwashed soldier as another guard approached us and me and Bob saluted. "You have orders to report to the barracks" he said to Bob. "On my way sir" Bob said as the head guard focused on me. "Recruit 273 report to the Detention Center" he said. "Yes sir" I said making my way to the guard in charge of the Detention Center but stopped in front of Garth cage. "Be patient time has no meaning here, stay strong" he said as I reached the head guard who was yelling at a begging slave who was begging for food. "Shut it! Oh there you are stand here and guard these maggots till I get back there are without any food so don't touch the control or you'll be sorry" he said. "Yes sir" I said as the guard turned to the slave. "I'm going to grab a quick bit, tasty food, yum, yum" he said mocking the poor slaves as he left and I was alone with slaves who were begging for food. The goodness in me was to overwhelming and I flipped the switch on the first cage the minute they begged me and as food dropped into the cage my collar activated and Lucien disgusting voice entered my head. "Obey, they are to go without food" he said as I panted and went over to the next cage and flipped the switch as the collar went off again. "Obey, let them starve" Lucien said as everything started to go blurry as I flipped another switch as the collar went off again. "Obey, do as you were told" he said as I collapsed on the ground. Week 137 Bob had not showed up today and I found this strange because he never misses a day and I knew something was wrong as a head guard approached and I saluted. "The Commandant wants to see you" he said. "On my way sir" I said walking past him. Oh great what does that freak want now? I thought as I passed Garth cage as we linked minds again. "I don't know when I might see you again the Commandant is threatening to move me, just stay strong and don't let them break you" Garth said as I headed to the Commandant chambers where I saw Bob in the corner mumbling as the Commandant turned to me. "I will make you obey!" he said walking down the steps as he approached Bob. "I believe you know this man, Guard 268 I order you to be quite" the Commandant said as Bob kept mumbling. "Guard 268 shut your mouth!" the Commandant yelled as Bob continued to talk and his collar remained off which I found suspicious. "Those who do not obey can be made to, but those who cannot obey are useless, take this sword" the Commandant said holding a Master Cutlass in his hands as I took it. "Now I order you to kill him" the Commandant said as Bob looked up at me with fear. "No don't! I'll work harder" he said as I hit the Commandant with the weapon as my collar went off. "Obey, kill him!" Lucien said as I panted and held onto the sword. "This halfwit is beyond care but you I will salvage, ten seconds" the Commandant said as I hit him again as my collar went off again. "Obey, this man must die" Lucien said. "Everyone has their breaking points and I will find yours" the Commandant said as my collar went off again and I hit him again as I fell to my knees as the collar went off. As I lay about to pass out the Commandant hit Bob with Shock killing him instantly as I passed out. 10 years As Lucien and his army grew stronger day by day as did I, I took the pain and suffering I endured and used it to keep me alive as I spent most of my days not speaking to anyone unless spoken to and only caring for myself till the time came. I got promoted to Officer so I had higher authority but not as much as my superiors who now approached. "Officer 273 report to the Commandant" he said. "Yes sir" I said heading in the direction of the Commandant as I passed the cage Garth used to be but was now gone taken somewhere in this dark place. Once I entered the room the Commandant turned to me and spoke "investigate the construction site and find the guard on duty and bring him to me, consider this a chance to redeem yourself" the Commandant said. "Yes sir" I said as I left his chambers. As I made my way to the construction site which I only had been to a few times but never alone so when I arrived I began to search for the guard who I found dead with a gun a sword and a few potions as I turned to see Garth as he hit my collar with the Shock spell as I feel to my knees from the force of Garth spell. "We meet again hero, you came to rescue me, but you're no good to either of us with that collar on" he said as the thing fell from my neck and my full powers returned as my veins glowed blue again. "There I've removed it, it took me years to focus enough will to destroy our collars and that guard, I've got nothing left so when trouble comes it's up to you" Garth said as I ross to my feet. "I'm ready to bring this damn place to flames!" I said as Garth chuckled. "The only way is threw the Commandant Chamber, so ready yourself, and lets move" he said as I saw him gripping his arm as I saw a gash in it. "Here let me see it" I said removing my head band and dressed him wound "can you keep up?" "Yes" Garth said as we turned the corner and two Spire guards saw us. "What in...that's the will user and he's not wearing a collar get him!" one yelled as I used ultimate Force Push to send them flying off the edge of the construction site as I fought my way past guards while protecting Garth as we reach the Detention Center as I looked to the slave. "There is nothing we can do for these men" Garth said as we drew closer to the Commandant chamber which was empty at the moment as Garth and I made our way to the window. "Were not leaving till the Commandant is dead" Garth said as he looked over at me. "I know what your think but it's not revenge I'm after revenge is just a fortunate byproduct" Garth said as I looked out the window. "A new load of recruits are being brought in, take a look" Garth said as I saw the men leaving the ship. "Now what?" I asked. "Now we need to find the Commandant" Garth said a Shock spell hit him and I turned to see the Commandant and a few Spire Guards. "You! I should have known that you would betray me, Lord Lucien will kill me for failing to keep order but I am obedient, so before he does I will eliminate you!" he said. "No I'm killing you for everyone that died at your hands and you're going to thank me!" I yelled. "If the Commandant is killed I'll regain my strength" Garth said. "Well in that case I'll make this quick" I said as I killed off the Spire Guards as I hit the Commandant several times has he teleported here and there with more guards till I finally slain him and a magic energy formed around Garth as he was lifted into the air by a bright white light as he yelled and landed on the ground with his blood and eyes glowing blue again. "At last, I think it's safe to say you don't need to protect me anymore" Garth said as he activated two Cullis gates "we can use this to reach the docks now come on" he said as we used the gates. Garth arrived first so when I arrived he had set all but one boat on fire and Spire Guards began to attack. "Let see what you got Garth!" I said as we both started to fight our way to the last boat that had the new recruits still standing by it. "If you wish to live I suggest you all get back on the ship with us!" Garth yelled as we stole the ship and sailed back to home and day light. Once we landed on the docks to Oakfield Garth had thought me two new will spells I will definitely us later and he changed into his old clothes while I had to remain in these disgusting Spire guard clothes till I reached shore to get rid of them. On the docks Garth and I watched the ship sail away while I turned to see Theresa and Jake coming down the hill. "I thought I'd never see land again, I thank you for your help" Garth said. "No problem now will you excuse me for a few second" I said walking up to Jake as he came into me as he licked my face and I petted his little head. "Another friend of yours?" he asked. "Yep this is my best friend since I was a kid" I said as Theresa approached us. "Your furry friend has been coming here every day for a week he'd knew you would return victorious even before I did, ten years welcome back my friend" she said. "It's defiantly good to be back" I said. "You have done the impossible, and Garth I welcome you too she said unaware that Garth was trying to get past her. "Welcome me? You're in my way, so please step aside" he said. "Listen to what she has to say Garth" I said. "You know much about the Old Kingdom enough to know that you cannot destroy the Spire alone, we share a common aim, all I ask is that you listen to what we can offer you" she said. "Alright I'll listen, but I promise nothing" he said as Theresa turned to me. "I will go with Garth, Hammer is at the Inn in Rookridge, you should see here before we talk again, she will be overjoyed to know your back, oh and here you'll want this" she said handing me a bag of my stuff and my weapons. "Thanks, oh and where's Walter?" I asked. "In Bowerstone Market I think you should see him first to have your hair grown back" she said as I remember Ronald telling me about the barbershop that can regrow hair. "Take my hand Garth, we have a great deal to discuss" Theresa said. "Do I have any choice?" Garth said taking her hand as they both disappeared and I made my way to Bowerstone Market.